National Republican., 1887-05-11
MAY CROP REPORT.
The Condition OF Winter wheat shows
n General Decline.


The report OF the department OF agricul-
ture for May relates to the condition OF
winter grain, progress Of spring blowing,
and proportion of the proposed cotton area
already planted. 1t indicates a decline In
the condition Of wheat Of two points since
Apr !, the general average for the whole
country being SO against 95 at the same
date In 1885, 20 In 1885, and 04 In 1884. The
changes In condition have not been uniform
throughout the winter wheat region, some
states showing an increase, the majority
slight decline, and few heavy falling of,
The states OF the middle Atlantic coast,
from Pennsylvania TO North Carolina, show
some Improvement, seasoDable weather
having aided the plant in recovering more
than was expected from the injury done by
the trying season during February and
March. In New York and New Jersey the
amount OF winter killing was not fully
known on Apr. 1, and this, with cold,
unfavorable, weather during the month,
has caused serious reduction Of
condition. Drought has reduced
the average somewhat in the eastern gulf
states, and has wrought very serious dam
age In Texas and Arkansas, lowering con-
ditlon during the month 10 and 10 points
respectively. Favorable temperature and
seasonable rains have improved the pros
pect In Tennessee, West Virginia, and
Kentucky, condition being considerably
In May for the past five years. The most
serious reduction of the month is In Ohio,
where there is falling off OF s points since
the lat OF April, due to the continuing evil
effects of the alternate freezing and thaw-
ing noted In the last report, and to the cold
dry weather during the greater part Of
April which gave the injured plant little
oh gAs A faty Ia In
son after April / might have in great
measure repaired the injury done up to
that time, but the continued unfavorable
conditions have wrought still further dam.
age and small crop Is now inevitable.
Michigan and Indiana show slight
decline, while In Illinois and Mis-
souri, there Is q gain Of one point.
gniavorable weather IN Kansas and
California has caused slight falling off,
while in Oregon the prospect has advanced,
1t being the only state In which condition
reaches 100. The average of condition by
states are New York, SO, Pennsylvania,
72; Maryland, 81; Virginia, so; North Caro-.
lima, 90; Texas, 60; Arkansas, 83; Tennessee,
90; West Virginia, so: Kentucky, %; Ohio,
a; Michigan, 90; Indiana, 81; Illinois, 93;
Missouri, 96; Kansas, 81; California, SO;
Oregon, 101.
Rye has suffered from the same condl.
tlons which have injuriously affected wheat,
but, on account of its harder nature, the
general average is considerably higher,
standing at 00.S against $40 on April 1,
and 95.7 at the same date in 1887. The
condition OF barley is low, the average
being s7.s against 96.7 in May, 1886, and SO
in 1885.
The season has been more generally ad-
vanced In all parts Of the country than
usual, spring plowing being seriously be-
hind only on the Atlantic coast south to
Pennsylvania, and on the Pacific slope. In
these sections 1t has been delayed by cold
and excess Of moisture. Elsewhere the
work is ahead OF an average year, the sea-
son, especially during April, having been
generally favorable. with temperature
above the normal and rainfall at mini
mum. The proportion already done on
May is estimated at so per cent. OF the
whole, while the amount usually COM
pleted at that date is about 76 per cent.
The proportion Of cotton already planted
amounts to more than four -fifths Of the
proposed area, and Is slightly greater than
at the same date In any OF the preceding
five years, but 10 little less than the pro-
portion returned by the correspondents as
the average planting at that date. The
proportions by states are: North Carolina,
40; South Carolina, 80; Georgia, 81; Florida,
90; Alabama, So; Mississippi, 81; Louis
lana, So; Texas, 50; Arkansas. 80; Tennes-
see, SO. There Is some complaint Of slow
termination and poor stand on account
of drought 10 time OF planting In some
sections, but with favorable weather
replanting is rapidly filling all gaps.